Origin
Chicago Heights, IL
Late night in Chicago Heights on Sunday
Local time
5:09 AM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Chicago Heights, IL to Arlington Heights, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 15m
Distance
53.7 mi
86 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 10m
★
6 AM
1h 16m
8 AM
1h 28m
10 AM
1h 20m
12 PM
1h 19m
3 PM
1h 20m
5 PM
1h 27m
8 PM
1h 12m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Chicago Heights, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Arlington Heights, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Spanning 53.7 miles across the Midwest, this route connects Chicago Heights to Arlington Heights in approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. It is a straightforward trip that fits easily into a single day, requiring no overnight stays. You should budget about $8 for fuel to complete the journey. By utilizing the Tri-State Tollway and the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway alongside South Halsted Street, you can navigate between these two Illinois suburbs efficiently. This drive is a practical way to traverse the region, offering a direct path for those looking to get from point A to point B without any necessary stops.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Tri-State Tollway | 36.7 mi | 46m |
| Jane Addams Memorial Tollway | 6.3 mi | 6m |
| South Halsted Street | 5 mi | 10m |
| South Arlington Heights Road | 3.1 mi | 6m |
| North Arlington Heights Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| East Euclid Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Tri-State Tollway
— 36.7 mi, about 46m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Chicago Heights, IL and Arlington Heights, IL.
1
Start on South Halsted Street
19 ft
·
8 sec
·
South Halsted Street
2
Continue on South Halsted Street
5.0 mi
·
10 min
·
South Halsted Street
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
54 sec
Toward I 80 West, I 294 North: Tri-State Tollway, Iowa, Wisconsin
Use the right lane.
4
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 80 West, I 294 North: Iowa, Wisconsin
5
Merge onto I 80; I 294
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 294
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 294
24 mi
·
29 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 294
10 mi
·
13 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 40
Toward I 190 West, I 90: O'Hare International Airport, Chicago, Rockford, River Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward I 90 West Toll, I 90 East: Rockford, Chicago
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 90 Toll West: Rockford
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto I 90
0.2 mi
·
12 sec
·
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
13
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90
6.1 mi
·
6 min
·
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 70
Toward Arlington Heights Road
Use the slight right lane.
15
Keep slight right at fork
498 ft
·
12 sec
Use the right lane.
16
Turn straight onto North Arlington Heights Road
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
North Arlington Heights Road
17
Continue on South Arlington Heights Road
3.1 mi
·
6 min
·
South Arlington Heights Road
Use the left lane.
18
Turn left onto East Euclid Avenue
48 ft
·
1 sec
·
East Euclid Avenue
19
Arrive at destination
East Euclid Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26.8 miles from Chicago Heights, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 145 decision points cluster between mile 5 and 50.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
5 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Take the ramp toward I 80 West, I 294 North: Tri-State Tollway, Iowa, Wisconsin
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward I 80 West, I 294 North: Tri-State Tollwa...
8
42.5 mi into trip
|
~58m in
Take the exit toward I 190 West, I 90: O'Hare International Airport, Chicago, Rockford, River Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 40
Toward I 190 West, I 90: O'Hare International A...
7
42.7 mi into trip
|
~58m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 90 West Toll, I 90 East: Rockford, Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 90 West Toll, I 90 East: Rockford, Chi...
7
43 mi into trip
|
~59m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 90 Toll West: Rockford
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 90 Toll West: Rockford
7
50.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 8m in
Take the exit toward Arlington Heights Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 70
Toward Arlington Heights Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.40 one way
$16.79 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.22 | $18.44 |
| premium | $4.89 | $10.33 | $20.67 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.86 | $23.71 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.63
Tri-state Tollway
(36.7 mi)
$2.20
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
(6.1 mi)
$0.43
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Tolls
$3
Total
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.1 | 0 | $5.64 | $2.58 |
| Efficient EV | 13.4 | 0 | $4.70 | $2.15 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.5 | 0 | $7.52 | $3.44 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Arlington Heights, IL
Late night in Arlington Heights on Sunday
Local time
5:09 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
4 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 15m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that balances highway efficiency with suburban navigation. While you will spend a significant portion of your time on the Tri-State Tollway, where you can cover a longest stretch of 36.7 miles, the experience is far from a simple interstate grind. The character of the road shifts as you transition from South Halsted Street onto the tollway system. Because the highway share is effectively zero for the total route, you will find yourself managing frequent turns and adjustments rather than settling into long, uninterrupted stretches. Stay alert, as the mix of local roads and tollways requires consistent focus behind the wheel.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 36.7 mi on Tri-State Tollway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 5 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 53.7 miles you will encounter 14 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 5 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 42.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 42.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
703 ft
600 ft
Total Climb
171 ft
Total Descent
129 ft
Highest Point
703 ft
~53.7 mi in
Elevation Range
103 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Chicago Heights, IL and Arlington Heights, IL, road signs point toward Iowa, Wisconsin, Chicago and Rockford.
Iowa
5 mi in
|
~10m
Wisconsin
5 mi in
|
~10m
Chicago
42.5 mi in
|
~58m
Rockford
42.5 mi in
|
~58m
About the Cities
Starting in Chicago Heights, IL
Full guide →Founded 1893
Chicago Heights is a city of 29,000 people (2019) in the Chicagoland region of Illinois. Chicago Heights remains one of the most dangerous cities in Illinois, with rampant poverty and high levels of violent crime.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 15m. Total distance: 53.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 15m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 36.7 miles on Tri-State Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $2.63 in tolls one way, starting with Tri-state Tollway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Arlington Heights, IL before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 5 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 42.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 42.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Pullman National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Arlington Heights, IL before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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